The Samaritan Woman
by Hikari Yang
Summary: This story started out as a 500 word min assignment for Bible class but got out of hand quickly. I hope you all enjoy! This is from the woman's point of view. I hope it makes sense. I was zoning out towards the end. any criticism is happily accepted and if there are any mistakes or anything I need to fix please tell me. once again I hope you like it!


"Woman!"

I sighed. What did he want now? I walked into the house from the garden in the back and looked at the man who had just called for me. He was about 30 years old, a tall man roughly about 5' 9" with long brown hair reaching past his shoulders tough he wore a hat over most of it. He had a short beard compared to most of the men around here. He had his cloak off and was obviously sweating meaning he had been outside not too long ago. It wouldn't surprise me. He was dead set on building that barn before the seasons changed.

"What is it Dan?" I asked. "I need to finish tending the garden before I can do anything inside." I turned to leave but was stopped by a strong hand landing on my shoulder. I turned to face him to explain that I was almost done and whatever he needed could wait but was once again stopped.

"We're out." he said simply holding a water skin in my face.

"What do you mean we're out? I just got some this morning." I looked into his dark brown eyes with confusion. I was seriously hoping he was kidding. I did not want to go 3 miles down to the well and another 3 miles back in this heat unless I had to. His eyes showed no form of joking.

"Can it wait till the sun starts to set?" I asked hopefully.

"No Rima. It can't." He said half-heartedly glaring at me. He knew I liked to put things off. I sighed and glared at the water pots. I swear those things were mocking me, just sitting there pretending to be the most innocent things in the world.

"Fine I'll go." I said with a sigh of defeat.

"That's a good girl" he said brushing his lips against mine. With that he turned around and went back outside. The second he left, I slowly slipped to the floor. 'Why do I continue to let him do this?' I think to myself already knowing the answer. Without even trying he somehow worked his way into my heart, and when he lost his home to the tax collectors he had no place to go so I let him stay with me. It wasn't long after when he started taking control of everything.

"Now Rima!" I heard him call from outside.

"I'm going!" I shout as I pull myself off the floor and dash toward the pots. With a small grunt I lift the biggest pot off the floor and onto my head so it will be easier to carry.

"I'll be back in a while." I call but all I get to show he heard me was a barely audible 'hn'.

It was sometime around noon when I finally made it to Jacob's well. There were a large number of people already there. Most of them were just going about their business shopping and what not, but there was something you normally don't see every day. Sitting close to the well there was a man. He was new here seeing as everyone in Sychar knew each other. Well at least we could put a name to a face. But no names came to mind when I saw him. I walked to the other side of the well to put some distant between us. Sure it seems extreme but I don't know who he is and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I took the chance to get a good look at the man. He like all the other men around here had shoulder length dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a beard. Although at a closer look I could tell he was tired so he must have traveled very far. I gathered up some courage as I dropped the bucket into the water.

"Excuse me, sir" I said looking at the man. The man turned to look at her and smiled.

"Yes? What is it?" he asked with a pleasant but tired tone. He certainly doesn't sound like he's from here. I know I've heard that accent but I can't remember where.

"I couldn't help but notice you look tired. You have been traveling for a while, right? May I ask where you are from?" I certainly hope I wasn't being too nosy. It would be bad if I stuck my nose into the wrong person's business.

"I just came from Judea not long ago." The man said glancing at the well behind me. Judea? This man is a Jew! Oh no! I couldn't have started a conversation with a Jew! Why is he even talking to me if he is? Why is he here?! I hope he is not looking for a way to get me in trouble with Jewish leaders! But his eyes showed no hatred. As the matter of fact, they look really kind…

"Will you get me a drink?" he asked turning his attention back to me. His request snapped me from my thoughts. Is he insane? Does he not know that he is talking to a Samaritan?

"I don't understand. You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan. How can you ask me for a drink?" Maybe that was all he needed to get back in his right mind. I turned back to the well to start pulling the bucket back up. I was planning on giving him a drink before leaving if he will still accept it. I had the bucket sitting on the edge of the well when…

"If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." I jumped and knocked the bucket back into the well with a quiet splash. I had not expected him to speak to me again. Catching my breath I gave him a look that told him that I thought he was mad.

"Sir," I started, "you don't have anything to get water with and this well is very deep." I turned toward the well to once again draw up the bucket. "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it, as did his children and animals?" I already thought he was insane but this is ridiculous! But, he really doesn't look like a mad man… maybe I will give him a chance.

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." Ok, now this man has caught my attention. I carefully set the bucket on the ground next to the well and turned to look at him. "Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." That wouldn't be too bad. If I drank some of this water he is talking about I wouldn't have to worry about drinking anymore then I can make a few less trips down here for water!

"Please, Sir, give me this water so I will not be thirsty anymore and I won't have to come down here as often." I no longer cared that he was a Jew. If he was willing to give me something that would improve my life who was I to complain.

"Go, call your husband and come back." Crap. Why would he ask that? I certainly can't go and get Dan. Everyone and their brother knows that we are not married. We aren't even engaged. I glance at him for a split second before turning to my bucket. Perhaps it would be best to just tell him the truth.

"I don't have a husband." I stated while pouring the water from the bucket into the water pot that I brought.

"You are right when you say you have no husband." He said. I swear I could feel his gaze on my back. It was actually quite unnerving. "The fact is," he paused for a moment before continuing, "you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband." He was interrupted by me once again dropping my bucket in shock. The bucket bounced off the pot spilling the little bit of water still in it and rolled down the road. I quickly spun around to face him. "What you have just said is quite true." How did he know about them?! You see I haven't had much luck with men. I shall spare the unnecessary details about each and just say that they all met an untimely end. And no it was not at my hands. For this man to know about my life and have just met me…

"Sir," I said my head hung in slight shame. I'm sure that if he knew that I had many other husbands he must know that I have cheated on a few of them. "I can see you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain," I made a slight jester to where we were standing, "But you Jews claim that the place where we must worship in Jerusalem. I don't understand why you came here. Shouldn't you be in Jerusalem?"

The man seemed to stand up straighter and said in a louder voice then he had, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." He placed a hand on my shoulder and looked very kindly at me "You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews." He removes his hand from my shoulder. What is he saying? Is he saying what I think he is? "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." 'He is talking about the Messiah' I realized. "God is spirit, and his worshipers mush worship in spirit and in truth."

"I know the Messiah is coming." I say looking at him full in the face. A gentle smile fell over his face, "And when he comes, he will explain everything to us." The man had a very amused look on his face before he said,

"I who you speak to am he."

My mouth immediately dropped open. And considering the look on his face I must have looked like a fish with my mouth opening and closing. I couldn't find any words to say! I talked to the Messiah! I talked to the savior of the world! I…thought the savior of the world was insane… Oops? Just then twelve men appeared and stood behind the Messiah and just stared at us. I don't know what they were thinking but they were probably confused as to why we were talking. I think those are the people he travels with…GAH! What am I doing just standing here! I have to tell someone! Anyone! Everyone! Without thinking twice I ran from the well, successfully knocking over my water pot in the process, and straight to the town. When I got there I stood right in the center.

"Come! See a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Christ?" At this point I didn't have any doubt on who he was. Many people just walked by me without sparing me a glance while others gave me the same look I had given the Messiah not too long ago. Yet many people stopped what they were doing and followed me to where he was.

Many of my people believed that day. They begged and pleaded with him to stay with us. He agreed and I offered to let him stay at my house which he accepted. Dan was not overly happy with this and when I tried to tell him he blew up and left.

"It is for the best, Rima." The Messiah, whose name I learned is Jesus said while putting his hand on my shoulder.

"I know, Lord." I said offering a weak smile.

Jesus stayed with us for two days. He taught us many things about himself and the father during that time. Many more believed because of his teachings. A few people from the town approached me not long after Jesus left.

"We no longer believe just because of what you had said," they said "Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know this man really is the Savior of the world."

A few months had passed and I had met a new man named Calev. After about a year we were finally married and we had a wonderful life. I still live in Sychar even though I should have moved in with my husband. I just couldn't bear to leave the place where I had met my savior. Now it has been 10 years since I met Jesus. During that time I had heard of his death and resurrection and Calev and I have had two sons together, Chaim who was ten and Doron who was eight. Everything was great, until we hear there were Jews in the town looking for Christians.


End file.
